Action toy



Dec. 16, 19141. M. GREENMA'N I 2,266,118 v ACTION TOY Filed May 15, 1940 INVENTOR Maurice Greenman,

@mq wvz v ATTO N EYS Patented Dec. 16, 1941 i nv ati nre ates gaqii e 29 7 L, I adapted to move alonga surfac e on wheels like. .o i i V .t The i v e i n a awn? Q? $591239? the provision of a toy ;whereini-an; anir nal 1111111 ty th lat'ing portion is provided with articulated, 'egs Y for imparting to the animal figure thegapfieariance of inatural motion and iani rnation vvhen the toy is moving along a Surrae;

"A further -object of the 'inven 'on re'sides,in the lq il i association of airiderfigure witli an animal figure in suchlmanner that roqk ing. movementsfoi the animal figure and .the. rider, figure cooperate to produce an effect. of evengreateraniination.

, In a preferred form of the invention I provide; means for periodically. pro'ducinglsounds siniulating the report of a pistol orloth er for cooperationvvith suehimans then i is providedwith' a portion .sifnulatin'g a in position for use. In theforrr'i fin" hi vention is shown in the dravvinga the ensuing specification; thelconjointrnovernents of the animal and rider figures, are synchronized with the sounding. means msu chafiVay tithe relationshiphetween the-pistol report, an the; body movement of the rider figure is emphasized by the synchronization.

Further objects and advantages oi jche aetion toy of my invention will appear from a, perusal of the ensuing specification, in connectionvyith thedrawing, and a study of th eappelglded clainis It will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat many modifications andalterations maybe ade in the specific form illustrated anoLd cr hed of my invention; In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is anelevational View of the agtiontoy of my invention in a Preferred form; .Fig. 2 is a top plan view t ereof; and j Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryperspective iew og the rear part of thebase portion of theltoiy 51: 7 1 and 2.

In the drawinglike characters ofdreierenceidenote likepa rts, and the numeral 'lqggesignates' 1 generally a supporting base which rnay 'conyeniently comprise a relatively flattonvpqrtion l l and a pair of paralleldependingoisideflanges l2 and I3. In the drawing the base LB gsho wnas having a tapering forwardly -projecting po l4 provided with an opening i5 iorr ecei mg a cord or the like for drawing theto y along a surface. i

The base W has associated therewith apair of ,hereinwithout departing frornthe spirit or sl cgp arep erforated to v.rec eive apivot-gpin Vided in the body 23 0f the animal fig uref ontrol oi ,the pivotal movements. or the body 211.0 theanimal about the piyotpin zfi, is .prefearls, of apairoj element 21 W ch serve as ns.

o 1 1 is pivoted at its, ripper t a q ih zgugh-r bo y 23 w ieec w w a 1e tr 1211? $1 itable pivot 'i e ait i i q tle e of t e e s 3 The. appe in limi s wer e e t;ex m l iew lq m l R t pa e a d th -19v i. l L as sjl w end pivotally attached to' an eccentriq poiht on ends of each of the links 3| are pivotally connected to each other intermediate the body of the animal and the base of the toy as at 34.

Various species of animals may be simulated in pursuing the principles of my invention and for this reason various modifications in the specific arrangement of the links and pitmans which comprise the legs of the animal may be resorted to. The essential thing is that either the front or the rear legs of the animal be rigid to'serve as a driving crank. The provision of one rigid leg, either front or rear, for the driving elements, in

combination with an articulated leg of the kind:

shown at 30, 3| in Fig. 1, permits of free rocking movement of the body of the animal 23 on'the pivot pin 25, regardless of the relative angular.

positions of the front and rear wheels and with This no necessity for synchronization thereof. arrangement eliminates any possibility; of binding or locking of the linkages besides adding materially to the impression of natural animation which is produced when the toy is in motion.

To give stability to the device, it is preferable that the tread of the wheels'beof substantially greater width than the body 23 of the animal, and in the illustrated form this difference in width is compensated for by disposing spacing collars 38 between the rear legs 21 and the body 23 of the animal at opposite sides of the latter, the pivot pin 23 passing through both-spacing collars 38 as well as through the pair of legs 27 and the body 23 of the animal. Similar spacing collars, designated 39, may be provided in conjunction with the pivotal connection of the upper ends of the pair of upper links 30 which form a part of the front leg construction of the device.

The rider figure, designated generally '40 in Fig. 1, may, if'desired, be rigidly associated with the animal body 23. In a preferred form, however, I provide a body member 4| which has secured to the lower portion thereof a pair of leg elements 42 which straddle thebody' 23 of the animal figure and are pivotally disposed upon the pivot pin previously described. To provide ample clearance between the legs 42 and the body member 23 for reception of the upper ends of the U-shaped support 24, spacing shims may be disposed between theleg members 42 and the body member 4| of the rider at opposite sides of the latter, and such shims are shown at 54 in Fig. 2. Instead of using'the shims'54 the'lower ends of the legs 42 or the lower medial portion of the body 23 of the animal maybesuitably notched to accommodate the upper ends. of .the

support 24. j

The body 23 of the animal figure is provided at its upper side with a saddle simulating portion 43 and the lower portion of the body member 4| of the rider figure is formed vapproximately as shown at 44 in Fig. 1, whereby the body of the rider may have limited longitudinal rocking movement in the saddle simulating portion 43. The rider is shown in Fig. 1 at the rear limit of his rocking movement in the saddle, forward movement being limited. by engagement of the lower part 44 of the body portion 4| with the back of the saddle horn 45. Rocking movements of the rider figure in the saddle 43 are engendered by passage of the center of gravity of the rider figure back and forth across a vertical line through the pivot pin 25 by reason of the primary rocking movement of the animal figure caused by the crank and pitman action of the rear legs 21.

In the illustrated embodiment the rider is P shown as bearing an extended weapon in the form of a pistol 41. A unique part of the action of the present toy is brought about by producing a sound simulating a pistol report each time the rider lurches forward in the saddle 43 by reason of a forward rocking movement of the animal figure which causes the center of gravity of the rider figure to pass over top dead center and fall to the forward part of the saddle 43.

The sounding means may comprise a leaf spring 48 having an end secured to the top portion ll of the base member I2, and as shown in Fig. 3, such end may be disposed between the under side of the portion I and the base of the supporting member 24 and spot welded into an integral assembly therewith. The outer free end .of the leaf spring 48, the rear end in the form illustrated, is bent downwardly and outwardly to provide a portion 50 which is engageable by a crank 5| which may be conveniently formed by offsetting an intermediate portion of the rear axle H! as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The leaf spring need not, of course, be secured with the support 24 and if a longer spring appears desirable the Spring may be attached forwardly of spring downwardly about its connection to the portion H of the base ID until the crank portion 5| rides rearwardly off the portion 50. .The

leaf spring is then abruptly released and strikes sharply against the underside of the portion H of the base In.

This striking produces a sound which simulates a pistol report, and the, elements are preferably so proportioned that the sound is timed to occur as the rider reaches his 7 forwardlimit of movement in the saddle, thereby simulating the natural forward movement of the user of a piston in discharging the same.

.It is obvious that while an animal resembling a horse has been illustrated in the drawing, other species of animal may be embodied in the construction, and that the rider may be costumed in any manner, preferably in accord with the kind of. animal which is simulated.

What is claimed is: i

1. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said toy along a surface, a figurerepresenting the body of an animal supported upon said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to the body of said figure and pivotally connected at its lower end to an eccentric point on a wheelrof said toy, whereby movement of said toyon its wheels imparts a rocking movement to said animal figure, the other of said legs comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to each other at one end of each, the other end of one link being pivotally connected to the body of said figure and the other end of the other link being pivotally connected to a wheel at an eccentric point thereon.

2. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said toy along a surface, a figure representing the body of an animal supported upon said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one

. of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to the body of said figure and pivotally connected at its lower end to an eccentric point on a wheel of said toy, whereby movement of said toy on its wheels imparts a rocking movement to said animal figure, a rider figure disposed upon said animal figure and represented as carrying a firearm in position for use, said rider figure being pivotally secured to said animal figure adjacent the lower portion of the former for rocking movement limited in each direction by engagement of said rider figure with portions of the animal figure with the center of gravity of the rider figure above its pivotal connection and so arranged that the rider lurches to its forward limit of rocking movement on said animal figure toward the conclusion of a forward rocking movement of the animal figure and moves to its rearward limit of rocking movement on said animal figure during rearward rocking movements of the animal figure, and means operated from said wheel for producing a report during each rotation of said wheel, such g means being timed to produce said sound as the rider and animal figures reach their extremes of forward rocking movement.

3. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said i toy along a surface, a figure representing the body of an animal supported upon said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to said figure body and pivotally connected at its lower end to an eccentric point on a wheel of said toy, whereby movement of said toy on its wheels imparts a rocking movement to said animal figure, the other leg comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to each other at one end of each, the other end of one link being pivotally connected to said figure body and the other end of the other link being pivotally connected to the lower portion of said toy.

4. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said toy along a surface, a figure representing the body of an animal supported upon said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to the body of said figure and pivotally connected at its lower end to an eccentric point on a wheel of said toy, whereby movement of said toy on its wheels imparts a rocking movement to said animal figure, the other of said legs comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to each other at one end of each, the other end of one link being pivotally connected to the body of said figure and the other end of the other link being pivotally connected to the lower portion of said toy, the links of said other leg being so proportioned with respect to the remaining structure that the pivot connecting the two links is normally disposed substantially spaced from a line connecting the other two pivotal connections of the links whereby the links are normally obliquely disposed.

5. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said toy along a surface, a figure representing the body of an animal supported by said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to said figure body and at its lower end to an eccentric point on a wheel at one end of said toy to serve as a pitman and impart rocking movement to said animal figure, the other of said legs comprising a pair of links pivoted to each other at one end of each, the other end of one link being pivotally connected to said figure body and the other end of the other link being pivotally connected to an eccentric point on a wheel at the other end of said toy, said pivoted links being disposed at an oblique angle and forming an articulated leg adapted for animated movement without interference with said other leg in the production of rocking movement of the animal body by the latter.

6. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said toy along a surface, a figure representing .the body of an animal supported upon said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to the body of said figure and pivotally connected at its lower end to an eccentric point on a wheel of said toy, whereby movement of said toy on its wheels imparts a rocking movement to said animal figure, the other of said legs comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to each other at one end of each, the other end of one link being pivotally connected to the body of said figure and the other end of the other link being pivotally connected to the lower portion of said toy, a rider figure disposed upon said animal figure and represented as carrying a firearm in position for use, means operated from said wheel for producing a report during each rotation of said wheel, such means being timed to produce said sound as the rider and animal figures reach one of their extremes of rocking movement.

7. In an action toy, a base and wheels associated therewith to facilitate movement of said toy along a surface, a figure representing the body of an animal supported upon said base for pivotal movement about an intermediate point, said figure having a fore leg and a rear leg, one of said legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to said figure body and pivotally connected at its lower end to an eccentric point with respect to the axis of rotation of a wheel of said toy, whereby movement of said toy on its wheels imparts a rocking movement to said animal figure, the other leg comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to each other at one end of each, the other end of one link being pivotally connected to said figure body and the other end of the other link being pivotally connected to the lower portion of said toy.

MAURICE GREENMAN. 

